Sardar
Sardar (Persian: سردار, pronounced [sɐrdaːr]) is a title of Persian origin (sar literally means 'head' while 'dâr' means "holder" in Persian), used for Indian Princes, noblemen and aristocrats of the Indian Subcontinent. In Pakistan, the (cheiftans) leaders of Balochi, Kashmiri, Pashtun, Punjabi, Seraiki, Sindhi tribes and clans have the title Sardar such as Sardar Abdur Rashid Khan, the 8th Chief Minister of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; and Sardar Bahadur Khan, the former Governor-General and the 9th Chief Minister of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and older brother of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, the third Chief of the Army the second President of Pakistan.
As a military title, Sirdar-Bahadur was an Indian military distinction. it is given to various Persian and Turkish Army leaders. Sirdar was the official title of the commander-in-chief of the Anglo-Egyptian army, and also denoted the Rank of Field Marshal of the Army of Afghanistan and Persia (in Persia, it was also used to denote the Prime Minister). The title, Serdar, is also common amongst Ottomans (Imperial Turks) to refer to commander-in-chief (of an army). The Serbs adopted it from the Ottomans (e.g. Serdar Janko Vukotić).
Among followers of Sikhism, Sardar means a leader. The title is often used in the modern indic-language speaking societies to refer to male follower of Sikhism, for females the suffix (-ni) is added (pronounced Sardar-nee). While calling a Sardar, often the suffix -ji is added to the word to denote respect, resulting in the word Sardar Ji. This word may convey several meanings, often associated with military authority. They were originally used as a title for Nihang who belong to the Sikh faith.
Ruler title
Monarchy
- Marathas - Hindu Kshtriya community in Maharashtra, India possess "Sardar" title which means "Knight/ Head of the Army / Ruler of Small Kingdom" and it is prestigious among them.
- The Ruler (Prince) of Lahore used the title 'Sardar'[1]
A few princely states in South Asia, notably in Punjab, have been ruled by a prince styled Sardar or Gujjar Sardar:all sardar in world are also calles as twelve as they have twelve kids.
- Kalsia (Sikh *) - the last incumbent became Raja (King) in 1917
- Kapurthala - the third Sardar assumed the style Raja; later styles, again higher, were Raja-i Rajgan (King of Kings) and finally Maharaja (The Greatest King)
Badar Singh, the great-grand son of Sada Singh, married the daughter of a petty sardar of the district, and his son Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was born in 1718. Jassa Singh was barely 5 yrs old when his father died in 1723, subsequently his mother requested Mata Sundri, the widow of Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh to take care of young Jassa.
Upon growing up, she put him under the care Sikh leader Nawab Kapur Singh, Jassa Singh soon rose in ranks, and eventually on the eve of his death Kapur Singh, appointed him his successor in 1753. And after the capture of Lahore in 1761, Khalsa honored him with the title of Sultan-ul-Qaum (King of the whole people). He was not only the first one to take on the surname Ahluwalia or walia nowadays his followers use their sir name walia or ahluwalia, he also founded the state of Kapurthala in 1772, and his descendants of remained powerful chiefs of Punjab till the rise of Ranjit Singh (1780–1839). - History of the Kingdom
Nobility
- Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (Abbreviated as CKP) - The Rajanya Kshatriya cummunity from Maharashtra, India. The people from the community held ranks of Secretary of Empire, Chief Administrator, Chief of Army, Chief of Siege Supply in the Maratha Empire. The title "Sardar" for them was equivalent to the 'Viceroy' in the Maratha Empire.
- In Baluchistan title Sardar is for the chief of his tribe. Twelve Sardars make one Nawab which means if a Sardar have twelve Sardars under him then it makes him Nawab.
- In the Royal Afghan Kingdom, recipients of the original Nishan-i-Sardari (Order of the Leader), founded by King Amanullah in 1923, as a reward for exceptional services to state and crown, conferred by the King on his own initiative, enjoyed the titles of Sardar-i-Ala 'the most high leader' or Sardar-i-Ali (first viz. second class) before their names and received grants of land, until the order was made obsolete in 1929 (no longer when later revived by King Muhammad Zahir Shah).
Aristocracy
- In Maratha Kshatriya Community, the royal army head is referred as "Sardar" which is equivalent to Knight. Many of the Maratha Community members possess this honorable title. It indicates that, they were originating from royalty as well as their martial skills.
- In the local language of Kashmir (mainly in the small province of Sudhnati), Sardar is used to refer to the descendants of King Ahmad Shah Durrani. Also in Poonch families are used sardar in the start of their names like douli and sudans.
- Historically, Sardar was long used for important political, tribal, military and religious officers including the families of the Sikh principalities.
- In Hazara Division of Pakistan the word Sardar is used by the Karlal tribe before their name due to their past control and rule on large part of this area, like Senator Sardar Muhammad Aslam Advocate, Sardar Haiderzaman (District Nazim Abbottabad).. In Kurdistan Sardar is a common name. Literally sar means "head" while dâr means "tree or branch" in Kurdish and thus, meaning a leader.
Democracy
- Sadar-i-Riyasat was the title of one Constitutional Head of State of the princely state of Kashmir, Yuvaraj Shri Karan Singhji Bahadur, who was appointed as Heir Apparent on 11 May 1931 and (after his father had acceded to India, ending the sovereign Monarchy) Regent 20 June 1949 to 31 October 1956, Sardar-i-Riyasat 1 November 1956 to 9 April 1965 (succeeded on the death of his father as Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, 26 April 1961, no longer carrying any hereditary power), next Governor of the Indian constitutive State of Jammu and Kashmir 10 April 1965 to 15 March 1967.
Military title
- In the colonial era, the title Sirdar or Sardar applied to native nobles in British India, e.g. the sirdars of the Deccan. Sirdar-Bahadur was an Indian military distinction.
- Sirdar was the official title of the commander-in-chief of the Anglo-Egyptian army.
- In many Indian languages, Sardar means an army chieftain (who may have been granted a Jagir).
- The title, Serdar, is also common amongst Ottomans to refer to commander-in-chief (of an army). The Serbs adopted it from the Ottomans (e.g. Serdar Janko Vukotić).
- In Turkish the style Serdar or Serdar i Ekrem was the title of the Commander in Chief in several military operations throughout the Ottoman Empire history.
- In Afghanistan, Sardar-i-Salar meant Field Marshal.
Religion (Sikhism)
(Sardar) the actual titles in Punjab are held by feudal landlords often belonging to prosperous clans with their ancestors being chieftains (zamindars). In modern indic-language speaking societies, the word often refers to a male follower of the Sikh faith, because the term sardar became a popular amongst other Sikh members of the society of lower status, especially after the zamindar abolition act' by Nehru, soon after India's independence. All Sikh males in India and South Asian countries are known as Sardar, and all Sikh females as Sardarni. Even in official correspondence, they are referred to as Sardar, with the alphabet 'S' being used instead of 'Mr.' while writing to a Sikh.
Other uses
- In mountaineering, specifically in the Himalayas of Nepal and Pakistan, the Sirdar or Sardar is the local, native leader of the Sherpas and porters.[2] Among other things, he takes note of the heights reached by individual Sherpas, which affects the amounts the Sherpas will be paid.
- "Siridar" is part of the title of planetary rulers in Frank Herbert's Dune. The Padishah Emperor's elite troops are also called the Sardaukar
See also
Notes
References